Hearings and Business Meetings

Oct062005

SD-366Energy Committee Hearing Room03:00 PM

The Honorable Larry Nelson

TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF S.1529HON. LAWRENCE K. NELSONMAYOR, CITY OF YUMAOCTOBER 6, 2005My name is Lawrence K. Nelson, the Mayor of the City of Yuma, Arizona. I appreciatethis opportunity to testify in support of S.1529, the City of Yuma Improvement Act of2005 and would like to thank Senators Jon Kyl and John McCain for their leadership onthis issue.Like many American cities in the 20th Century, Yuma had neglected its river heritage.For the past decade, however, the Yuma community has worked to re-connect with theoriginal crossings of the Colorado River in three important ways. First, with the supportof the federal and state governments, we have undertaken an ambitious wetlandsrestoration and conservation project, called the Yuma East Wetlands. Second, we aredeveloping riverfront parks, which give the public better river access and recreationalopportunities. Third, the City has worked to redevelop 22 acres along Yuma’s downtownriverfront with significant private sector commitments for investment.The City recognized that this commercial redevelopment project was primarily a localresponsibility. The challenge was that the state and federal governments owned smallportions of the 22-acre site. Over the past six years, we have assisted in the relocation ofthe National Guard facility and the Border Patrol Sector headquarters. The City has spentconsiderable local sums to assemble these properties.At the same time, the City has been working with a private sector development partner toimplement an $80 million redevelopment project, which includes a riverfronthotel/conference center, visitor’s center, office buildings, 60-80 residentialcondominiums, and retail shops. In November 2004, Yuma City Council approved adevelopment agreement, which requires construction to begin by July 2006.As planning for this project got underway in 2000, it became apparent that along theriverfront there was a patchwork quilt of ownership dating from the inception of theYuma project in 1905 undertaken by the U.S. Reclamation Service. For the past fiveyears, City and Reclamation staff have worked together to try to make sense of thisproperty situation. As early as 2003, both staffs agreed in principle that there could be afair exchange. The Bureau of Reclamation would receive title to City-owned land overwhich their railroad tracks run to the Desalinization Plant. The City would receive title to“orphan” parcels which served no purpose to the Bureau of Reclamation. In addition, theCity agreed, at its own cost, to relocate functions of the Yuma County Water Users—which would then free up land for important public uses like a visitors center and anancillary water treatment facility.For the past two years, the City has proceeded with all required environmentalcompliance and has paid for the relocation of the Yuma County Water Users Associationfunctions. All that remains is for Congress to provide authorization for this exchange.Passage of this legislation will facilitate Phase 1 of the riverfront development, includingthe hotel and conference center construction. For future phases, we continue to work withother federal partners such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to assist in relocatingtheir Kofa NWR Headquarters.Our downtown riverfront is the heart of our community. It is the site of the historiccrossing of the Colorado River by 60,000 people during the 1849 Gold Rush. The YumaCrossing was established as a National Historic Landmark in 1967. We look forward,however, to the day when the Yuma Crossing will once again be a bustling commercialriverfront center. With the assistance of Congress, Yuma will be able to regain controland ownership of this land and return it to productive use.Thank you again for the opportunity to speak in support of S.1529.